Wishing that when I dream I could dream of you
by Scrapbook Original
Summary: Takes place right after 2x14. What will happen next for Emma, Neal and Henry. R and R.


The day had been a long one, exhausting to say the least. Reuniting with the one man she was supposed to hate the most, the one man, who she couldn't processes her feelings for, was not what she had expected. She never would have come to New York with Gold if she had known how it would end up. Emma was so tired she almost wanted to collapse next to Henry on Neal's bed, but she decided on showering first.

Gold had left earlier in the night, mumbling about trying again tomorrow or something. He had gotten a room at the hotel a few blocks down from Neal's apartment. Then over dinner Neal had insisted that she and Henry sleep at his place.

"I have a friend who won't mind if I stay over. That will save you guys some money on a hotel." Neal had mentioned as he picked at the Chinese food they had gotten for dinner. Henry was all for the idea, and so after hours of Henry and Neal talking, he left them to stay at his apartment.

Literally seconds later, Henry was asleep on the bed, not even bothering to change his clothes. Emma stepped in to the bathroom and was surprised at how clean it was, considering Neal lived here. She was too tired to be suspicious though. She slipped off her clothes and pulled her hair up into a ponytail. She was about to turn on the water when she thought she heard something. She threw on a towel and crept out. Henry was still asleep and she was about to turn back when she heard a noise outside the window.

If she was in storybrooke she wouldn't have thought much about it, but this was New York and she wasn't sure how safe the building actually was. She looked around but couldn't find anything like an umbrella or cane that would be good for defense. She turned the corner out of the bedroom and saw a shadow crouched just outside the window. Her heart picked up speed, and she could feel the nervous energy set in. She immediately rushed over to the kitchen area and opened the first drawer. Bingo.

She grabbed the biggest knife she saw, and turned around in time to see the figure pry open the window and step down into the room. The minute the man turned around he was taken by surprise and fell backward a bit, falling into the bookcase behind him.

"Emma, what are you doing?" Emma realized as her eyes had now adjusted that is was Neal.

She took a deep breath, "I think I should be asking you that."

"Um could you?" He motioned to the knife that she held still pointed at his heart.

"Oh um yea right…" She placed the knife back on the counter and pulled up at her towel, suddenly feeling self conscious. The whole night Emma had this tight feeling in her stomach that wouldn't go away, and the minute she saw him it came back. Almost like butterflies, but she wouldn't actually admit that it might be that.

"You gonna tell me why you came back?" She tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

He looked very uncomfortable, "Emma, I just forgot something I needed ok?" He turned shifted some things around on the bookshelf.

"Alright." She waited for a few minutes, but it looked as if he wasn't going to be able to find whatever it was he needed. "What are you looking for?"

"It's none of your business." He grouched turning sharply, he was obviously frustrated.

"Ok, Fine, I just thought I might be able to help, but you know whatever. Hope you find it." She had reached the door to the bedroom when he stopped her.

"Emma, wait, I'm sorry I just… "But he froze. Taking her in almost for the first time in a while. She leaned against the door frame and her hair was up so that she looked just like she had many times in hotel rooms that weren't actually theirs. "Neal?"

"Oh yea it's a dream catcher," His eyes shifted down and his head hung slightly," I'm looking for the dream catcher." Emma stopped breathing, remembering now that she had moved it. She had placed it in the bottom of her suitcase, intending to take it home. "What do you want if for?" She asked protectively. He was going to have to give her a good reason or else the darn thing was hers.

"Do you know where it is?" He asked his eyes searching hers.

"You didn't answer my question Neal." She shifted, waiting.

He whispered something, but she didn't hear. "What?" She asked.

"I can't sleep without it."

There was total silence for a few moments as they both just stared into one another's eyes. She wasn't going to question him, because she understood completely. She turned suddenly, breaking the stare, and went to get it. He had nightmares the whole time they were together, but now she actually knew what he was talking about when he said his dad abandoned him. She founded it right where she left it knowing he needed it way more than she did. She bought it back out to him and he crossed the room to get it. He stopped right in front of her his hand touching hers as he took the dream catcher.

"Thank you" He whispered softly. Their faces were so close she could hear his breath catch as he said those two words.

"Anytime." She whispered back as he turned to leave.

He was almost out of the window when he stopped and turned back. "Were you about to take a shower?"

"Yea why?" she raised her brow.

"Getting the water the right temperature is hard to figure out, you have to turn the cold just a little and then add the hot in a little at a time, or else it gets super hot, you know it might be easier if I just show you."

She immediately protested. "No that's fine I'll figure it out." That was one thing she didn't need, him to stay any longer with her in nothing but a towel. But heck, was she really going to be able to figure out this thing, if it was so "hard" to figure out?

"You sure?"

"No" She admitted.

He jumped back down into the room and crossed it heading past a sleeping Henry to the bathroom.

"Wow he was really worn out huh?" Neal whispered when they entered the bathroom. She instinctively shut the door so they wouldn't wake Henry.

"Yea he was" She replied as he turned on the water and started adjusting it. "He really likes you you know, so you can't um" He turned back to her as she finished, "Break his heart."

"Emma I …"

"Its whatever just don't leave him now or really ever, because I will hunt you down. He deserves way better than either of... " she was caught off guard and interrupted midsentence when he took her face in his hands and kissed her.

Those butterflies were back again, and she was pretty sure she wasn't breathing. Her first reaction was to break away, but she knew the minute she did that she would be going back. She would always go back. She jumped to him and he responded immediately, his arms wrapping around her back. She didn't realize how much she had missed kissing him, until she was kissing him again, and while a voice in her head was screaming at her not to do this, she pushed that voice aside and buried her hands in his hair. He removed his jacket and threw it down, returning quickly to her. She slipped her hand under his shirt and pulled up on it. The broke their hold for a moment while he pulled his shirt off and she undid his belt. Once his clothes no longer separated them, his mouth found her neck and as he kissed her there she let go of her towel and let it fall to a heap at her feet. They moved into the shower pulling the curtain closed behind them.

"Shit" Neal moved quickly out of the path of the water. It was too hot. "Shhh" she whispered as he turned the knobs back and forth some. "Henry" she pointed back to the bedroom. The water became cooler and they moved under it stopping just a moment looking into each other's eyes. Then Neal pulled her close and they began again. Emma tried to stop herself, but she couldn't. She was enjoying it far too much to stop, and Neal wasn't going to want stop either, so she let herself go and enjoyed the moment.

They had stayed in the shower as long as they could; they stayed there till the water was too cold for them to stand any longer. Then they both dried off and put clothes on. " It's too late to be out Neal, just sleep on the couch, I'll wake you up before Henry gets up and you can say you just got here." She whispered to him. He nodded and kissed her goodnight before leaving for the couch. Emma was way too tired to dissect what having sex in the shower with Neal, meant for them and for Henry. She wanted to believe it was just sex, but she knew it was way more than that. She felt things that she hadn't felt since the day he had left her, and while she knew she might never be able trust him again, she couldn't deny how she still felt about him. She decided to worry about it later and got into bed next to Henry. The minute she hit the pillow she was out.

The next day would be interesting to say the least.


End file.
